Toonneel der Steden van 's Konings Nederlanden, met hare beschrijvingen.

Large folio (53 x 35 cm): [14 incl. engr. title-4] pp., 96 maps (some sm. stains, mainly on text lvs I2, some corners dampstained: Damme, Evergem etc., text and pl. of Bethune and Aachen a bit browned, marg. tear on Palais épiscopal de Liège).

Later half vellum, sprinkled paper covers (rebound, sl. used). Inside a very clean copy.

Complete 1st Dutch edition of Blaeu's town atlas of the Royal Netherlands, including 96 maps with some plates from the old stock (such as the Privileges 3π1r and 5π1r). Variant leaves iii2D, iii2H and iii2R with the maps and views (Izegem, Heule, Dadizele and Westouter; Sint-Niklaas, Lokeren, Rupelmonde and Temse; Orchies etc.) printed in a different order. The town atlas of the Netherlands formed part of Blaeu's larger and very ambitious plan to build a theatre showing the towns of the world. As this job was hard to complete during a lifetime, Blaeu started with the Netherlands as this was the theatre of the most important events of his time.
Ref. Van der Krogt IV [43:121.2].